Combined foundation bandeau and apron



Nov. 12, 1935. A. M. THOMAS COMBINED FOUNDATION BANDEJ XU AND APRON 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 18, 1954 I R O T N E V m 7 272 u?" J14. Thomas BY 7 V ATTORNEY WITNESSES Nov. 12; 1935. A. M. THOMAS COMBINED FOUNDATION BANDEAU AND APRON 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 18, 1954 INVENTOR I v .flrihur Thomas I BY ' WITNESSES TORN YS Patented Nov. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES COMBINED FOUNDATION BANDEAU APRON Arthur M. Thomas, New York, N. Y., assignor to Thomas & Marcus, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 18, 1934, Serial No. 758,115

1 Claim.

This invention relates to undergarments and particularly to a combined foundation bandeau and apron, an object being to provide a construction which will protect the body at the 5 front and rear and also present a. pleasing appearance as well as afford a desired uplift for the breasts.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved undergarment presenting in effect 10 a protecting garment at the front and rear and a bandeau at the top.

An additional object is to provide an undergarment presenting a front and a rear apron, and a bandeau formed in such'a way as to por- 15 ;vide large open spaces at the waist-line and at the hip portion.

A further object, more specifically, is to provide a garment having front and rear panels with a bandeau at the top of the garment and with 20 extensions at the bottom of the garment either at the front or rear, or both front and rear, so as to secure a desired covering or shadow-proof undergarment as may be desired.

In the accompanying drawings- 25 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a combined foundation bandeau and apron disclosing an embodiment of the invention, the same being shown and illustrated on a figure;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing 30 the rear of the figure and the garment;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the garment shown in Fig. 1 looking at the same from the front, with certain parts thereof shown slightly in perspective;

35 Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view through Fig. 3 on the line 44, the same being on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing a modified form of the invention wherein the 40 rear panel extends below the crotch member and forms a rear depending apron;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view through Fig. 5 approximately on the line 6-6;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing 45 the front panel with a downwardly extending apron instead of the rear apron;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Figs. 6 and 7 except that both the front and rear panels have been provided with downwardly extending aprons.

-50 Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, l indicates what may be termed a bandeau, and 2 a body connected with the bandeau, said body having straps 3 and 4 at the bottom Which may be elastic or inelastic and 55 which act to connect the front and rear panels 5 and 6 together. In addition there is provided a crotch strap I, which is preferably of double thickness and having enlarged spear heads 8 and 9 at the front and rear, respectively, the same being connected by suitable disengageable fastening means l0. These fastening means may be buttons, snap fasteners, or other disengageable securing means.

It will be noted from Fig. 3 that the front panel 5 tapers from the points H and I2 downwardly at a slight angle and then at 'a greater angle and the straps 3 and 4 are stitched thereto. It will also be noted that there is provided a notch I3 into which the end of the crotch strap 1 is fitted, so that a line of stitching l4 may connect the crotch strap at the end of the notch. This arrangement provides a strengthening portion at the lower part of the garment with the spear heads 8 and 9 sufliciently enlarged and positioned to present a thickened covering portion at this point. The panel 5 is preferably of one thickness of material and covers the body of the wearer from near the crotch upwardly to near the waistline, where it merges into an A-shaped extension I 5 projecting to a point above the waist-line and, in fact, to a central point between the breasts when the garment is in use.

' The bandeau l is connected by lines of stitching l6 and I! to the A-shaped extension 15. However, a. portion of the bandeau above the A-shaped portion I5 is connected by a suitable line of stitching [8, so that a lateral strain may be communicated directly from the breast pocket I9 to the breast pocket 20, or the reverse. These pockets are connected together with the seam l8 and to the extension l5 by the seams l6 and I1. In addition rear sections or band members 2| and 22 are connected at points 23 and 24, respectively, said sections or band members being connected by hooks and eyes, or other disengageable fas- 40 tening means 25, as shown particularly in Fig. 2. Shoulder straps 26 and 21 of any suitable kind are connected to the highest point of the breast pockets l9 and 20 and to the sections 2| and 22, as shown in Fig. 2. The sections or band members 2| and 22 are connected to the lower part of the breast pockets at the respective sides thereof so that when these are brought under tension they assist the shoulder straps in giving the desired support and uplift to the breasts.

It will be noted that the waist-line portion of the body is all exposed except a small part covered by the extension l5 at the front, and that the legs of the wearer on the sides are exposed fully except for the small portion covered by the bands 3 and 4 and by the waist-band 28. The waist-band 28 is preferably of elastic so that it may readily stretch as it moves over the hips when the garment is being donned and then contracts to snugly fit the body at or adjacent the waist-line.

' Thecrotch strap 1 and the straps 3 and 4 act to anchor the garment so that it cannot ride up, while the waist-band 28 holds the gar-V ment properly at the waist-line, and the shoulder straps and the bandeau prevent any downward movement of any part of the garment, whereby the entire garment presents a desired fit and pleasing appearance as well as a covering structure or apron for the lower part of the body and a bandeau for the upper part of the body.

Referring particularly to Figs. 5 and 6, the same garment will be seen as shown in Fig. 3 except that the rear panel 6 has 2. depending section 29 presenting a rear apron adapted to cover the body down to near the-knees of the wearer. The apron may extend down to a position at the knees, slightly above, or slightly below, without departing from the spirit of the invention. Aside from this difference in structure, the garment shown in Fig. 5 is exactly the same as that shown in Fig. 3 and the same reference numerals are used, except for the extension 29. It will also be noted from Fig. 6 that the crotch strap is connected by a suitable line of stitching 3!! through the rear panel on the inner surface rather than being let into a notch as is true of the front part of the crotch. It will be noted also that in this form of the invention the crotch strap or member is provided with disengageable fastening means in a similar manner to the preferred structure illustrated in Fig. 3. Y i i Fig. 7 shows the same structure as illustrated in Fig. 6 except that the front panel 5 is provided with a downwardly extending portion or apron 3! instead of the rear panel. In this form of the invention the crotch strap is stitched at 32 to the front panel.

In Fig. 8 the structures shown in Figs. 6 and 7 are combined in one garment and the front and rear panels are provided with downwardly exv tending aprons 29' and 31, with a crotch strap secured by stitches 30 and 32- Aside from the 5 together and extending from the waistline in front to the crotch and up to the waistline in 15 theback, the adjacent side edges of the front and rear portions being spaced from one another,

the spaoingbeing such that the side edges of p the portions are disposed inwardly of the hips of the wearer, the side edges of the lower ends of the rear and front portions converging inwardly toward each other to form a crotch strap, elastic means at the waistline uniting the rear. and front portions across the space of the upper ends thereof, hip straps connecting the front and rear'portions at pointswhere the side edges converge inwardly, said straps being disposed in alignment with the converging portions of the edges to form the leg openings, a substantially A-shaped extension projecting upwardly from and forming the upper part of said front'portion, the apex of the A-shaped member pointing upwardly when the garment is in use, and a, bandeauhaving a: pair of breast pockets connected to the respective sides ofsaid A-shaped member, a pair of rear straps connected to said breast pockets causing them to fit snugly, and a pair of supporting shoulder straps connected respectively to the tops of the breast pockets and to said rear straps.

ARTHUR M. THOMAS. 

